The shift towards flexible and hybrid working could lead to monumental change for those with disabilities. Over the past few years, we’ve seen that accessibility is possible and more important than ever.
- There is a disability employment gap: 21% of working-age adults in the UK are disabled, with an employment rate of 53%, compared to the 82% employment rate of those who don’t have a disability.
- Across the pond, the gap is more significant: 19.1% of disabled people in the USA are employed, compared to 63.7% of non-disabled people.
- Only 55% of disabled workers feel they get recognition from management: compared to around 67% of employees with no disabilities.
- Disabled workers feel less engaged: Less than 50% feel they have the opportunity for achievement at work, compared to around 60% of non-disabled employees, creating dissatisfaction.
Remote and flexible models of working can go a long way toward bridging these gaps by making jobs more accessible.
Barriers faced by the disabled workforce
Many businesses still fall short of the demand for accessible workspace, simply because they lack an understanding of the disabled experience.
People with disabilities each face their own challenges. Some may be more visible than others, while specific disabilities or barriers may be non-apparent.
Common disabilities in the workforce include:
- Physical disabilities or injuries (permanent or temporary)
- Vision/hearing disabilities
- Neurological conditions such as cerebral palsy, epilepsy or severe migraines
- Mental/psychological conditions such as post-traumatic stress disorder or anxiety disorder
What obstacles do disabled people face in day-to-day work life?
- Physical challenges (e.g., commuting, entering or exiting a building)
- Limited (or lacking) accessible parking spaces
- Lack of proper work equipment
- Communication struggles
- Sensory sensitivities
- Higher levels of exhaustion
- Lack of privacy when disclosing a disability
- Discrimination
Flexible working is an improvement but not a ‘fix-all’
While the increase in flexible and hybrid working has been beneficial, it has also highlighted the need for accommodations and accessibility outside the traditional office environment.
Interestingly, 30% of workers with disabilities reported that their mental health worsened while working from home, while 26% said their mental health improved.
Disabled workers in the UK have had mixed experiences of working from home:
- 63% say flexible working gave them greater control of their working hours
- 60% missed social interactions with their coworkers
- 47% say they’ve been able to change their work routines
- 40% experienced less fatigue when working from home
- 34% say they lack proper office equipment at home
- 9% struggled to use online meeting platforms
- 7% lack the specialist software needed to do their work, such as speech-to-text programs
Businesses blazing a trail for accessibility
More businesses are taking steps to create a more agile workplace with the ability to adapt quickly and easily to global changes. This new strategy will also give the disabled workforce more freedom of choice. Here are some examples:
- Innovative workspace: Accessibility shouldn’t be an afterthought. We need more modern, collaborative workspaces that go beyond ‘reasonable adjustments’ by factoring in wellbeing, accessibility and beautiful designs. An accessible workspace should provide a central creative hub for team gatherings, with the technology needed to include remote workers.
- Innovation in action: All Work and Social, a flexible office operator, went above and beyond to provide accessibility to all six floors of their property, Bonded Warehouse, despite the challenges that come with an industrial Grade II listed building.
- Choice of environment: A company structure should give disabled workers the option to choose whether they work from home, the central office, or a suburban hub. This can prevent unnecessary exhaustion, reduce commuting time, and maintain privacy, ultimately benefiting staff wellbeing and overall performance. Some businesses are adopting a ‘Hub and Spoke’ solution, which allows teams to work from a location of their choice using membership apps.
- Smart working: A company culture that embraces smart working allows employees to optimise their time and abilities. For example, smart working enable disabled workers to integrate fitness and wellbeing activities into their workday, better to manage their energy around client/collaboration time, travel to work at a time of day that is less congested and avoid the pressure of getting to a location by a specific deadline.
Smart working in action: At Refinery E9, a serviced office space by Working From, the goal is to treat every member fairly. Wellbeing is in everything that they do, both physically and mentally, including a wellness room with daily classes, day beds, healthy food, duvet days, and integrated accessibility, to name a few.
Next steps for business owners
As a business owner, you can start making decisions that drive change.
- Stay up to date on legislation around workplace accessibility
- Be aware of the reasonable adjustments required for workers with disabilities or health conditions
- Get professional advice on how best to make your work model more accessible
- Review company policies to make sure people with disabilities are properly supported
- Review your recruitment process to ensure all candidates are treated fairly
- Provide training on diversity and inclusion
- Research assistive technology innovations, like speech-to-text or screen enlargement apps
- Foster a culture of inclusion and respect
With the global shift to agile working, we will likely see an uprise in more accessible job opportunities as the obstacles of workspace location, company culture and discrimination are dismantled. And with an agile workplace strategy, all businesses can benefit from improved team member wellbeing and engagement.
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